


Scarlet Eyes

by MorKen



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Adopted Children, Adoption, Auction, Character Turns Into a Noah, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Dark Magic, Drinking, Eyes, F/M, Family Killed, Family Secrets, Fire, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, Love/Hate, Lulu Bell Dies, Murder, Noah Family - Freeform, Pirates, Scarlet - Freeform, Searching for Someone, Smoking, black magic, black market, cursing, evil sister, high society - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2014-01-03
Packaged: 2018-01-01 21:50:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1048975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorKen/pseuds/MorKen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lulu Bell is dead. The Noah Family is eager to see who shall take Lulu Bell's place as the 13th Noah-The Noah of Lust. Perhaps it will be her murderer, a red-eyed blonde who is being hunted by the Black Order after being charged with the crime of killing an Exorcist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Murder of Lulu Bell

She stood over the Noah, panting in exhaustion after their nearly two-hour long fight. Blood still gushed from several serious wounds on her body and her muscles ached, screaming for her to cease moving altogether. She gathered her thoughts, relieved by the fact that it was almost over; she only had to strike the final blow and she then could finally rest. The Noah certainly had done a number on her, though. In fact, she almost thought she was going to die at least once or twice during their battle. She had to hand it to them: the Noah were indeed extremely tough. Glancing at the curved cutlass in her hand, she felt the female Noah beneath her stir, awakening from her unconscious state.

“What is your name, Noah?” she spat as the woman blinked blearily and looked up at her. She pressed the heel of her boot firmly on the Noah’s chest and leaned closer. “Well?” she questioned. The Noah glared at her.

“Lulu Bell,” she snarled.

“I see,” the woman muttered, pressing the curved sword against Lulu Bell’s throat. “I must give you credit, Lulu Bell,” she confessed. “You were quite a pain in the ass to kill.” Lulu Bell’s eyes widened slightly. “You Noah live up to you reputation. If it had been anyone else you were fighting, you probably would have easily won.” Lulu Bell scowled. The woman chuckled and lifted the cutlass to her eyes, examining it. “Good thing I took this little buggar from that Exorcist. Without it, I'll admit beating you would have been practically impossible.”

“Shut up,” Lulu Bell hissed, glaring at the woman standing above her.

“No,” the woman snapped in reply before returning her gaze to the weapon on her hand. “Who knew this little substance is the only weakness the Noah possess, really.” Again, Lulu Bell scowled. She felt her pulse was slowing; every part of her body ached terribly.

“No getting distracted, now,” the woman scolded. Lulu Bell’s gaze remained hard as she felt the sword lift her chin towards the woman’s face. “I want you looking at me as I kill you.” Lulu Bell then felt it: fear. It gripped her like a vice, choking and squeezing every breath and rational thought from her. She was going to die there. Like this. By the hand of a human. _How_ _pathetic._ The woman raised the sword and began slowly cutting, tracing the stigmatas that lined the female Noah’s forehead. As blood seeped from the markings, Lulu Bell cringed and again began to feel fearful. Indeed, it seemed as if she was going to meet her end.

“You realize there will be consequences for your actions,” the Noah warned, finding her voice. The woman chuckled darkly, but did not respond. Instead, she pushed the weapon's cold metal tip between Lulu Bell’s lips and slowly caressed the Noah’s wet, pink tongue. Lulu Bell remained quiet, her amber eyes boring into the woman. She had fought as hard as she could, almost defeating the woman once or twice. But in the end, she was not able to win. Her mind drifted to the Earl, whom she followed and obeyed with every fiber of her being. Surely he would be disappointed at her dying; giving up and becoming the loser. His precious Noah were not meant to die so easily. And yet, Lulu Bell, though she had fought viciously and had nearly killed the woman in front of her, was now going to die. Her eyes closed, feeling the cold metal as it swept gently across her tongue. _How pathetic, to be beaten by a mere human._

The woman smiled malignantly and tipped the sword's tip upwards, cutting the roof of Lulu Bell’s mouth. The Noah cringed as she felt the irony taste of blood fill her mouth.

Just then, the two females heard a commotion coming from the woods. They turned their gaze toward the two that emerged into the clearing from the thick cover of trees. The woman’s eyes narrowed; the Black Order. She sighed and, turning her attention back to Lulu Bell, swiftly pushed the sword upward through the roof of her mouth, brain, and skull until it’s tip emerged from the top of the Noah’s head. With an anguished, gurgling shriek, the female Noah’s skin began to bubble and boil from the Innocence. The Exorcist and his Finder cried out and began to run over to the females. The woman, whose porcelain skin was now spattered lightly with the dying Noah’s blood, watched with a satisfied smirk as the light began to fade from Lulu Bell’s eyes.

“Too easy,” the woman muttered as the Noah’s chest rose and fell for the last time beneath her foot. Suddenly, though, the woman felt a shockwave of pain surge through her as she twisted the cutlass that was still wedged in Lulu Bell’s head. Surprised, she leapt backwards, yanking the sword out with her as she went. The pain receded a bit, but still lingered within her. Confused, she stood motionless for a moment until the Exorcist and Finder’s cries yanked her from her thoughts. She turned to look at them, realizing they were running towards her. She huffed and pointed the curved cutlass at them.

“Stop,” she growled. The men stopped in their tracks and glared at the woman. Her skin was tingling still from the wave of pain she had felt a few moments prior, causing a sliver of anxiety to work its way into the back of her mind. She quickly pushed it away, however, and focused on the two men in front of her.

“Are you a Noah?!” the Finder demanded. She laughed.

“No, you simpleton. I’m not,” she spat.

“That’s an Anti-Akuma weapon in your hands, am I correct?” the Exorcist questioned in a steady voice, motioning to the curved cutlass she held tightly. She smiled.

“Indeed, it is, _Exorcist_ ,” she replied, a glimmer of amusement flickering in her eyes. _Her eyes._ The Finder found himself looking at them, entranced by their strange, enigmatic color.

“Sir,” she heard the Finder whisper desperately to the Exorcist. “H-her eyes!”

“Red…” the Exorcist whispered in surprise. The woman chuckled darkly.

“You two are entertaining,” she commented, smiling. The men glared at her. “So, I must ask, what brought you two into these woods?” she questioned, still pointing the Anti-Akuma weapon at them.

“There was an Exorcist killed in a nearby town,” the Finder replied meekly. “We were sent to investigate and hunt down the killer.” The woman’s eyebrow quirked in amusement.

“I see,” she mused.

“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?” the Exorcist asked incredulously.

“I think you already know the answer to that, _Exorcist_ ,” she hissed.

The man scowled at her; “You _murderer_ ,” he spat. She laughed.

“Such a rude thing to call a lady,” she retorted. The Finder clenched his fists, praying his Exorcist companion would be able to defeat this woman. His eyes flickered to the deceased Noah that lay in a bloodied heap behind the red-eyed female. Terror gripped his stomach, making him want to vomit. Beside him, the Exorcist opened his mouth to speak.

“How did you manage to kill the Noah?” he asked, fighting back fear. He knew that if this woman was able to kill a _Noah_ , there would be no chance of them surviving this encounter.

“Really, now,” the woman hummed. “How _dull_. Of all the questions you could have asked…” Just then, a door appeared on the edge of the grassy clearing, lit by the silvery moonlight. The woman looked back at it and smiled, watching as two Noah emerged from the Harlequin-styled doorway. The Exorcist and Finder stiffened; it was Road Kamelot and Tyki Mikk.

“ _Dammit_ ,” the Exorcist whispered fervently at the sight of the two Noah. Tyki and Road’s eyes immediately flew to their fallen family member, their expressions darkening. It was then that they looked up at the blonde haired woman holding the cutlass.

“You did this?” Tyki Mikk demanded. Beside him, Road glared at the woman, anger boiling inside her. The woman merely chuckled softly in reply.

“How dare you,” Road muttered. “How _dare_ you!” The woman’s eyes widened slightly at the child’s outburst. She looked back at Tyki, who continued to glower at her.

After a silent, tension-filled moment, she smiled and sung softly, “Time to go,” Snapping her fingers, she immediately was enveloped by an opaque, black shadow.

“Wait!” the Finder cried, reaching his hand out to the shadow that now had begun to shrink in size as it sunk into the ground. As his hand came into contact with it, he let out an agonized shriek and yanked it back as the shadow disappeared, becoming engulfed by the earth. The Exorcist rushed to the screaming Finder’s aid and examined his hand, which, to his bewilderment, was now reduced to a puss-covered bloody mass.

“Tyki,” Road murmured, watching the scene from her uncle's side.

“Yes?” Tyki replied, looking down at the girl.

Tyki noticed tears beginning to stream down the child's cheeks as she spoke, “How could this happen?” 

“I don’t know,” he sighed, surprised to feel a wet trail of tears falling down his own cheeks. “What is this?” he asked, tracing the tears as they cascaded down his gray-colored skin. Road chuckled softly.

“I suppose it is the Noah within us mourning,” she answered quietly. Tyki hummed softly in reply, turning his attention to the panicked Finder and Exorcist.

“What should we do with them?” Road asked.

“Whatever you’d like,” Tyki replied, bowing his head and pulling down the brim of his top hat. From his peripheral he saw Road’s expression alter to take on that of a sadistic grin.

“Let’s kill them,” she giggled, tears still streaming down her face. Tyki smiled darkly at her and lifted his hand, pointing it toward the two.

“Tease,” he commanded, and immediately the dark butterflies flew from his palm and engulfed the two men. Blinking the continuous stream of tears, he ordered, “Attack.” With that, the two men began to wail and screech as their bodies were ripped apart by the devious little winged creatures. Tyki and Road stood motionless, watching uninterestedly as a pool of dark liquid spread onto the grassy clearing. Eventually the men’s cries ceased and Tyki held out his hand and called the Tease to return to him.

“What should we do with Lulu Bell?” Road asked as the quiet of the night began to engulf them.

“Take her with us, I suppose,” Tyki said, shrugging. “It wouldn’t exactly be right to leave her here.” Road nodded silently and watched as Tyki went over and picked up the female Noah, draping her over his shoulder, and turned back to his niece.

“Shall we?” he offered. Road nodded and walked with Tyki through her door, which dissipated after it closed it behind him, leaving the blood-stained clearing silent and peaceful once more.

* * *

 

“So our prized Twelfth has fallen, _eh_?” the Millennium Earl sighed as the Noah all gathered around the body.

“Good riddance~,” Jasdero sang, bending down and poking Lulu Bell’s nose.

“Jasdero!” Road chastised.

“He has a point,” Devit added. “She wasn’t exactly _pleasant_.”  

“Enough,” Tyki ordered harshly. The two cringed and kept silent.

“Another Noah is surely going to appear soon,” Road mused, looking over the cold, dead eyes of the female.

“Indeed,” the Earl agreed, chuckling.

“Who do you think it’s gonna be?” Skin asked, licking a cherry flavored lollipop and gazing at the corpse.

“Could be anyone,” Devit muttered.

“Even the one who killed her!~” Jasdero added, giggling. Tyki’s eyebrow rose in curiosity at the young Noah’s comment.

“An interesting notion,” the Earl mused, tapping his finger with his chin thoughtfully. “We will have to see…”


	2. The New Noah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While visiting his human friends, Momo, Clark and Eeez, Tyki Mikk meets a woman with familiar scarlet-colored eyes. He resists his urge to avenge his fallen family member after realizing that this woman may very well become the new addition to the Noahs.

Tyki emerged from underneath the bridge, stepping from the shadows and into the mining grounds he, Momo, Eeez and Clark currently worked at. It had been nearly three weeks since he had last seen his friends, and was eager to reunite with them. Lulu Bell’s death still weighed heavily on his mind; though he himself was not particularly saddened by the death of the female Noah, he could sense Joido still grieving within him. Irritated at the faint pangs of woefulness that tugged at him, Tyki huffed, ready to find a way to distract himself and make him forget this entire mess.He reached into the pocket of his torn, loose-fitting pants and pulled out his cigarette box, dismayed to find that there was only one left. Sighing and running his hand through his disheveled hair, Tyki lit the cigarette and inhaled, allowing the nicotine vapors to disperse throughout his lungs. Feeling slightly more at ease, he set out toward the nearby town. He wanted to see his friends, but he needed to buy more cigarettes, first.

Upon entering the town, Tyki began to hear the faint sound of music being played. Curious, he made his way toward the town square, where he saw none other than Eeez, the little boy with whom Tyki, Momo and Clark traveled with. He was dancing with a woman while several men with instruments sat against the adjacent building and played music. Tyki noticed a crowd had begun to surround the two, entertained by the boy and his dancing partner.

Chuckling to himself, Tyki sat on a nearby bench and waited, watching the two. Eeez looked happy, which pleased him; he cared considerably for the child and his wellbeing. The boy was always willing to cook for them, clean up after their messes, cover for them at their various jobs, and he could make an excellent cup of coffee. He was a treasured member of their little group of misfits.

Tyki smiled as he watched the woman lift the giggling boy, twirling him around in the air before setting him down again and continuing their dance. It was then that he noticed the woman’s features. She had long, wavy blonde hair that swung to-and-fro with her movements. She was smiling slightly, gazing at Eeez as he continued to giggle and jump around with her. The music eventually began to come to an end, at which Eeez and the woman’s movements began to slow, coinciding with the tempo, before they, along with the music, stopped completely. The onlookers began to clap, laughing and cheering at their performance.

Eeez blushed as the woman bowed to him and, looking around, spotted Tyki sitting on the bench. Tyki laughed as the boy bounded over to him and hopped up beside him, swinging his dangling feet and looking up at the man affectionately. The woman watched the little boy run up to the dark-haired man and turned, reaching for her shoes that lay several meters away on the cobblestone sidewalk.

“Tyki!” Eeez shouted joyously, hugging the man’s arm. “You’re back!” Tyki chuckled and rubbed the boy’s head, ruffling his already messy hair.

“Yeah, for a couple of days.” Eeez’s face fell. Tyki, not wanting to upset the child, quickly changed the subject. “That was some pretty good dancing over there, Eeez,” he said, smiling. Eeez laughed.

“Yeah, that lady just started dancing with me. Momo, Clark and I came into town for a bit, but after I started dancing I lost track of them.” Tyki rubbed the back of his head and sighed.

“Probably went back to the mine,” he replied. From his peripheral he saw the woman who had danced with Eeez coming closer to the bench where the two of them sat. Eeez leaned forward and looked past Tyki toward the blonde-haired female and waved. Tyki turned and looked at her as well. She smirked and waved back at the boy, her eyes glancing from him to Tyki, locking gazes with him. It was then that Tyki noticed her eyes; they were a bright scarlet. _It's her._ His muscles tensed, realizing who she was, and fought a malignant, knowing smirk as she stopped and stood in front of them.

“Nice job, kid,” she said, glancing down at Eeez. “Thank you, Miss!” Eeez replied enthusiastically. “It was fun!” Tyki scanned the woman, his eyes falling on the shoes she grasped in her hand.

“Better put those on, soon,” he said, nodding towards her shoes. “Might get frostbite standing there on the cold stone like that in this weather.” The woman glanced down at her bare feet.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” She motioned to the empty spot on the bench beside Eeez. “Mind if I sit?” she asked. Eeez shook his head and scooted closer to Tyki to give her more room as she sat down and began to put her boots back on her feet. She fought back a shiver, eyeing her toes as they began to take on a bluish hue from the cold. She felt the two beside her staring as she adjusted her feet inside the heels and began lacing them up. Tyki fought desperately the rage that was beginning to boil within him. _Keep it together..._ He inhaled slowly, holding his breath, and exhaled. Feeling slightly more in control, he turned to glance at the two sitting beside him on the metal, wrought-iron bench. 

“I didn’t realize how cold it was getting,” the woman said, breaking the silence. Tyki snapped back to attention.

“Yeah, it’s gonna get even colder here in a few hours when the sun goes down, though,” he managed to reply, putting a hand above the tops of his glasses, shielding his eyes as he looked into the sunset. Eeez nodded silently in agreement, his eyes fixated on his feet as he swung them back and forth.

“What’s your name, kid?” the woman asked after she had finished lacing up her heeled boots.

“Eeez.”

“Nice name. Very unique…I like it,” she replied in a dry voice . Tyki fought back a grimace at the woman's tone, but noticed Eeez blush slightly at the compliment beside him. 

“And what about you?” Tyki asked, forcing an uninterested tone. “What’s your name?”

“Nothing of consequence,” she replied, standing from the bench. Tyki clenched his fists. _You pompous tart._  She looked into the sunset, its orange and red hues washing over her skin. She sighed and turned back to the two. “Know of any good pubs around here?” Tyki quirked and eyebrow and thumbed to his right.

“Down the block, there. It’s called ‘The Candlestick’.” The woman thanked him and then set off toward the end of the block.

“She seemed nice,” Eeez said as Tyki and he stood and began to make their way back to the mine. Tyki merely grunted in response and rubbed his chin, feeling the stubble that now grew from it.

“Damn!” Tyki exclaimed before they set off. “I needed to buy some more cigarettes.” Eeez nodded and waved him off.

“I’ll keep heading toward the mine. You catch up after you’re done.” Tyki chuckled and raised an eyebrow at the odd little boy.

“Alright. See ya, Eeez.” With that, the two parted ways. He arrived at the mine shortly after Eeez, just as night began to fall. Not surprisingly, he found his mind wandering back to the woman. He smiled wickedly as he walked up to the small building he and his friends had been living in since they had started working at the mine.Later that night, he planned to try and get away and meet the woman. He wanted to confront her, the woman that killed Lulu Bell.

_You're going to pay._

* * *

Tyki sat in the dark on his small, squeaky bed, listening to the snoring of his companions. After he had showed up, they had celebrated. Momo and Clark soon passed out, having drank to much, and Eeez fell asleep soon after. Sighing, Tyki rose from the bed and silently snuck out of the room, determined to meet with the woman. It didn’t take long for him to return to town; only about fifteen minutes. The moon was almost directly above him, now, casting its silvery light upon the cobblestone streets. His breath came out in small billows of steam as he made his way toward ‘The Candlestick.’ His hands itched to avenge his fallen family member. He could sense Joido’s hunger for vengeance clawing at the back of his mind. Huffing, he pushed the thoughts away for now and focused his eyes on the wooden sign that swung lightly in the chilling breeze above the pub’s entrance. He was getting closer.

Pushing the door open, his eyes strained to adjust to the dim lighting as the warm, dank atmosphere of the pub’s interior wrapped around his body. He scanned the tables, seeing no one but a few drunken locals he had seen a few times since he and his companions had relocated to the area sitting at some of the tables and booths. Frowning, he glanced over at the bar. Sitting on one of the end stools, bent over a half-full glass of beer, was a woman with long, wavy light blonde hair. _At last_ _._ Tyki’s eyes narrowed wickedly from behind his glasses as he made his way over to the bar and seated himself at the opposite end. He could hear the woman breathing heavily several seats away from him. Her breaths were shaky and he noticed she was trembling. His brows furrowed at her agitated behavior.  _What is this? Why is she acting so odly?_

Without warning, she suddenly vaulted from her stool and sprinted outside. Tyki’s eyes chased after her as she bounded out the door. After several moments, he discreetly rose from his seat and followed her outside. The cold pierced his skin, causing him to shiver as he looked around the empty street. He cursed silently, thinking he had lost her. Just then, however, he began to hear pained cries from the alley behind him. Turning, he saw the woman bent over on all fours, shrieking in agony. _There you are._  His eyebrow rose and he smirked; this was his chance. Taking several noiseless steps toward her and out of sight from the street, he allowed the alley’s shadows to cover him.

The woman, sensing another’s presence, glanced up, her eyes clouded with pain, and saw the man she had met earlier who had been sitting on the bench with Eeez. She watched as he gradually began to alter his appearance into that of a Noah. His skin became like ash and several familiar stigmatas appeared across his forehead; his clothes changed from those of a vagabond to those of a sophisticated noble. His eyes, no longer hidden behind thick, almost comical glasses, had changed to an enigmatic amber. They looked down at her, a malicious nuance coating them as a villainous smile spread across his face. Slicking his hair back, he leaned down to the point at which he and she were at eye level.

“It would seem we meet again,” he cooed fiendishly. “I am Tyki Mikk, a member of the Clan of N-“

“Noah, yes,” she said, cutting him off. “I know your kind.” Tyki stared at her, his piercing amber eyes glinting even in the darkness of the alley. “I believe I met a friend of yours the other day,” she added coldly, smirking. Tyki smiled, glaring at her. He grabbed her chin harshly and yanked her towards him.

“You’ve been experiencing a great deal of pain, yes?” he questioned, his voice low and ominous. His warm breath washed over her cheeks as he spoke. It smelled faintly of cigarettes. Puzzled at his comment, she furrowed her brows.

“Y-yes,” she managed as another wave of pain washed over her. Tyki noticed her cringe from the pain and smiled.

“Interesting,” he murmured. “Much quicker than any of us expected.” 

“Just kill me,” she hissed, glaring at him. Tyki raised an eyebrow questioningly. She scoffed at his reaction. “I killed a member of your _precious_ Clan. Your _family_. Obviously you have come here to take revenge. So,” she narrowed her eyes and spat, “do it. Kill me.” Tyki watched her for a moment, his calculating eyes staring into her, and then began to laugh. The woman scoffed, slightly offended by the man’s laughter.

“You are amusing, indeed,” Tyki mused after composing himself. He squeezed her chin even tighter. “I must ask, how did you manage to kill her?” She grimaced as another shockwave of agony flew through her body.

“W-with Innocence, o-obviously.” The pain was nearly unbearable, now. She knew that if she had to endure it any longer and she would begin to scream. Tyki’s eyes narrowed at her smarmy explanation. Sensing his impatience, she begrudgingly expounded; "B-before I ran into her I k-killed some Exorcist and t-t-took his weapon, w-which I used to k-kill L-lulu Bell." It sounded so simple. Yet killing a Noah was extremely difficult; a daunting feat. But this woman makes it sound so easy. Tyki was intrigued.

“Where is the Innocence that belonged to the Exorcist?” he asked, slightly loosening his grip on her chin.

“It was d-destroyed,” she replied, her eyes shutting tightly as she endured the pain.

“By whom?” Tyki questioned, skeptical.

“M-me, I suppose. After I k-killed her, I b-b-began to have these p-pains and s-s-soon after, while I was holding the w-weapon, i-it just cr-crumbled in my hands.” Tyki smirked. _Of course. Her transformation process began and, incedentally, so did the Noah's ability to destroy Innocence._ It was happening quicker than they had expected.

“How long after you had killed her did your pains begin?”

“F-few days,” she replied through her chattering teeth. Her muscles burned and her head was throbbing.

“Interesting,” Tyki mused, letting go of her chin completely. She collapsed onto the stone ground, twitching and gasping. Tyki stood and looked at her. “How often do the pains occur?” he asked.

“F-few times a d-day.”

“And how long do they last?”

“D-depends. T-they’ve been lasting l-longer each t-t-time.” Tyki tapped his finger to his chin thoughtfully.

“I see,” he muttered, thinking to himself. Below him, she let out a faint gasp of surprise. Tyki glanced down uninterestedly to find blood had begun seeping form her hairline. Her hands shakily touched the warm liquid as it dripped down her face. _Oh no, how unfortunate._

“W-what is this?” she whispered, looking at her blood-covered hands.

“Your punishment,” Tyki replied with a malevolent smile. The woman tried to keep calm as the blood rushed down her face, but the shock mixed with the pain was causing her to lose consciousness. Above her, she saw Tyki Mikk’s fiendish expression, his amber eyes boring into her as she slowly slipped into darkness.


	3. The Woman in a Cage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Millenuim Earl has ordered that the new Noah be put in a cell until she comes around and accepts her family and fate as the Noah of Lust. Tyki, who is instructed to persuade her into the family, finds that this woman is highly eccentric.

“Dammit,” she groaned, stiffly lifting herself up off the smooth, chilly marble floor.

“A lady shouldn't curse,” she heard a familiar silky, baritone voice say from several meters away.

“Oh, shut it,” she grunted, rising to a sitting position and rubbing her temples languidly with her fingers.

“Such a lack of manners,” the voice sounded again.

“I told you to shut it!” she snapped, looking at Tyki Mikk who, to her surprise, stood staring at her, amused, from the other side of a wall of tightly-knit wrought iron bars. The bars were black and warped, curling and twisting in every which-way.

Her eyes narrowed. “Where am I?” she growled, looking around. She looked to be in a small pentagonal-shaped cell. Each of the five angled walls were made of the same mangled wrought iron barring. The floor was made of red and black harlequin patterned marble tiles and inside with her was a small cot, a tiny wooden desk, and a wooden footstool. Around the cell, levitating, were lit multicolored candles, which provided the only lighting in the space. Outside the cell were two perpendicular corridors, also adorned with levitating candles and harlequin marble flooring.

“You’re in the mansion of the Noahs,” Tyki replied, smirking at the woman.

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered, rubbing her forehead. Her thin fingertips brushed across the smooth skin until they came into contact with what felt like a carving in her flesh. She gasped and looked at Tyki Mikk, shocked. “So it’s already begun,” she whispered, sorrow tingeing her voice.

“Don’t sound so miserable,” Tyki laughed, reaching in his pocket and pulling out his carton of cigarettes.

“Leave me be,” she hissed, tracing the markings that lined her forehead.

“They’re on your wrists and neck, too,” Tyki said, casually putting a cigarette in his mouth and leaning toward one of the floating candles to light it. He inhaled several times, waiting for the flame to singe the end, and leaned back against the wall outside the cell once it was. Slowly, she glanced down at her wrists and saw the same cross-like etchings adorning her left and right. She also noticed her skin had turned to the same ashen hue as Tyki and the other Noahs, signifying that she was even farther along in her transformation. Shakily, she lifted her fingers to her neck, almost afraid of what she may find. To her dismay, she felt another stigmata carving.

“Ohh,” she groaned glumly. Tyki chuckled and exhaled a small billow of pale smoke.

“You’re taking this all rather poorly, really. Why don’t you try and cheer up?” he offered uninterestedly. He didn’t particularly care one way or the other for the new addition to their family. But, once he had taken her from the alleyway and appeared before the Earl of Millennium, it was decided that he would be charged with convincing this strange woman to side with the Noahs. The Earl argued that it would be extremely unwise to allow a new Noah who despised the rest of the Clan to run free, for she would most certainly use her newfound powers to attempt to kill the rest of them. 

“You would take it ‘rather poorly’ too, if you were in my position,” she muttered darkly.

“Such a negative attitude,” the male Noah murmured, taking a drag from his cigarette. “Ah!" he exclaimed after exhaling a small billow of smoke. "I suppose I have not properly introduced myself, yet,” Tyki mused, pushing himself off of the wall and turning to face the woman on the other side of the bars. “I am Lord Tyki Mikk, the Noah of Pleasure.” He bowed slightly, lifting his top hat a few inches off his head and smiling charmingly at the woman, who narrowed her eyes at him.

“So all the Noahs have little titles?” she questioned in a semi-degrading tone.

Tyki straightened and smirked. “Yes. You have become the Noah of Lust. The Noah that has now taken up residence inside you is named Rasutoru.” He leaned back against the wall and took another drag.

“Adorable. You all even have little Noah names to go along with your little Noah titles,” she cooed. Tyki’s eyes narrowed slightly in irritation at the patronizing tone she was taking. “And what’s the name of your Noah, Lord Tyki Mikk?” she asked after a moment.

Tyki glanced at her. “Joido.” She paused for a moment, thinking.

“I like it,” she replied. “Very…”

“Unique?” Tyki finished, his mind trailing back to her comment to Eeez about liking his name for the same reason.

She smiled and laughed softly. “Yes,” she answered, amused. 

“Now that I have introduced myself to you properly,” Tyki said after a minute. “Care to return the favor?” Perhaps first learning the woman's name would aid in his task of coaxing her into good terms with the family. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, however, when the woman tilted her head back, exposing her long, thin neck, and began laughing. It was a tuneful, almost hypnotic laughter, which perplexed Tyki even further. “What's humored you?” he asked, curious. The woman lifted her head back up and looked at him with an unreadable expression.

“I don’t owe you Noahs anything. Especially my name,” she hissed.

“On the contrary,” Tyki replied darkly. “You killed one of our clan members. I’d say that merits us knowing something as simple as your name.”

“You’re forgetting, you kidnapped me and locked me in a cell,” she answered darkly. “So we’re even. Thus, I owe you nothing.”

“I’d say murder merits a higher payback than rescuing you from a cold, dark alleyway,” Tyki replied, smirking. This woman was proving to be extremely entertaining, indeed.

“Rescuing me?” she spat incredulously. Tyki watched, amused, as the anger within the woman bubbled.

Tyki hummed in affirmation as he threw his cigarette onto the marble floor and stepped on it with his dress shoe. "You're welcome," he said, smirking.

"I never thanked you," she growled, placing her hand on the small wooden desk beside her and heaving herself to a standing position.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Tyki advised, turning and slowly beginning to walk down one of the adjacent corridors. "You're not strong enough yet." The woman opened her mouth to retort, but was soon overtaken by a wave of dizziness. Shaking, the world around her began to turn black as she felt all of the blood rush from her head. Tyki glanced over his shoulder as the woman lost conscienceness altogether and plummeted to the floor, her head making an unpleasant 'crack' on the cold flooring. Chuckling to himself at her stubborness, Tyki turned and resumed walking down the dimly lit hallway.

* * *

“Ah, you’re awake, I see.”

The woman moaned as she stiffly lifted herself off the floor. Her eyes widened once they grazed across the pool of dried blood that had been encompassing her head.

“What happened?” she asked, running a hand through the dried blood that also coated haphazardous bits of her hair.

“You passed out and fell to the floor,” Tyki replied, lighting a cigarette on a nearby levitating candle as he did the evening prior.

“Oh,” she answered, rubbing her head. “Hey,” she said, looking over at Tyki. “May I have one of those?”

Tyki’s eyebrows rose in slight surprise. “A woman who smokes and curses?” he commented, glancing at her aloofly.

“Yes,” she replied harshly. “But really, may I have one?” Her tone was almost pleading, and Tyki noticed that her hands were shaking.

Tyki shrugged. “Alright.” He pulled a cigarette out of his half-empty carton and threw it between the bars to the woman, who caught it in midair. “Impressive catch,” he quipped as she lit it on a candle and began inhaling slowly.

“Thanks,” she replied curtly, blowing several smoke rings.

Tyki laughed. “And those as well.” She looked over at him and snorted in derision.

“I've been able to do that for years. I was never what you’d consider ‘normal’,” she said, shrugging.

Tyki smirked and narrowed his eyes. “I see,” he mused in a silky tone.

They remained silent for several minutes before the woman spoke up; “Do you hate me for it?” Tyki looked at her with a puzzled expression. “For killing The Noah of Lust?” she elaborated.

Tyki's eyebrows rose in understanding. “Ah, but you are the Noah of Lust,” he said with a slight smirk.

The woman scoffed and shook her head. “You know what I mean. Do you despise me for killing your Lulu Bell?”

“ _My_ Lulu Bell?”

“Well, you seemed so attached to her, I only assumed...”

Tyki began to laugh loudly, his deep voice reverberating across the walls of the corridors.

“I had no particular attachment to Lulu Bell. Yes, she was a member of the Noah Clan. However, she was not closely tied to any of us in particular, except the Earl. Her loyalty to him was unsurpassed.” 

“But _you_ did not particularly care for her? Why?” the woman asked, inching closer to the warped bars that Tyki stood on the other side of.

“Not sure. She did not act as if she wished to associate with any of the other Clan members. Instead, she kept to herself and that damned Akuma servant who she always kept close at her side. Mimi, I believe the thing called itself.”

The woman hummed languidly. “Strange that a high-and-mighty Noah would bond with a lowly Akuma,” she mused, taking a drag. “I thought you all were too egotistic to care about anyone but yourselves.”

Tyki gave her a humored look. “We are capable of many emotions. The Noah that takes its place at our core instills hatred, malice, and abhorrence for the human race. However, we are still, essentially, human. Well, somewhat,” he explained. “Our genetic code is interlaced with the Noah’s the day we merge. You are nearly completely transformed yourself. Soon, you will be a Noah, consumed by hatred and malice, yet possessing an immense amount of power.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed and she glared at Tyki. “You still have yet to answer my initial questions,” she reminded.

Tyki glanced down at her. “Ah, yes. I do apologize. You wished to know if I hated you for killing Lulu Bell, and if we Noah have the capacity for more positive emotions?”

The woman blinked. “Yes,” she answered slowly, taking another drag.

“The answer to the first is no. I don’t despise you for killing Lulu Bell. The Noahs inside of us might, but no one cared enough for her to truly be distressed at her death. So, I doubt you'll be dealing with any sort of punishment from the Clan for your actions.” Tyki took a drag as well, blowing the smoke down at the cell bars, which distorted the smoke into intricate shapes. “The answer to the second question is, yes," Tyki went on. "We do have the capacity to feel 'softer' emotions. Our human personality remains with us to some extent, and sometimes pushes us toward feelings of sentiment, generosity, affection, et cetera.” Tyki explained. "Though, it is somewhat rare," he added, smirking.

The woman's eyes narrowed as her mind raced with this information. “Then why do you all despise the human race?” she asked suddenly. 

“The Noah inside of us harbors immense rage and, as I've said before, when we merge with them we adopt such feelings as well,” he replied.

“There is still something I don’t understand about you, Tyki Mikk,” she said, looking up at him.

Her firm gaze slightly perplexed him, but he stared back nevertheless. “Is that so?” he cooed in a deep, velvety tone. “Because there are still many things I don’t understand about you.”

The woman’s gaze hardened. “And you may never understand them. Regardless, to my final question. Why do you play ‘normal’ and travel with human vagabonds? If Joido has such a hold over you, how can you stomach such company?” The question caught Tyki off guard. After a moment of thinking, he began to explain.

“That is what I like to call my ‘white side’. The part of me that clings to my previous life as a human and enjoys lightheartedness and good times. Without it my ‘black side’, my Noah identity, would consume me and I would be left with no interest or entertainment in my life.”

The woman’s eyes bore into him even deeper, searching, it seemed, for something deep within his blackened soul. “You are happy when your personalities are at war with one another?” she asked.

Tyki shrugged. "An odd way to put it but, yes. I am," he replied, taking a drag.

“I suppose I can understand that,” she admitted. "I suppose we all have 'black' and 'white' sides."

"Indeed," Tyki sighed.

"Tell me the truth," she said after a moment of silence between them. "Why have you been coming to visit me?"

Tyki though for a moment, knowing it would destroy all the good he had done to tell her of the Earl's intentions. 

"You intrigue me," Tyki answered simply, thankful he managed to find an answer that wouldn't give anything away.

The woman scoffed. "And for that, you put me in a cage?"

Tyki chuckled at her tone of frustration. "The process of becoming a Noah is unstable and dangerous at times. We could not risk you going out of control without some kind of insurance."

The woman sighed and gazed at the floor, her eyes grazing the dried pool of blood. "This all seems so ridiculous," she mused. "Personal superhumans that cause you to hate humanity, a big magical mansion in which all of you reside, and me becoming a part of all this madness. It sounds absurd on the face of it. But it's real. It's actually happening..." Her voice began to trail off and her eyes remained fixated on the floor. "I never wanted this. I never meant for any of it to happen. If I'd have known killing Lulu Bell would have meant all this," she said desperately, raising her eyes to look at Tyki, "I would have never murdered her."

"Perhaps this experience will teach you to think before you act," Tyki offered.

The woman glared at him. "Perhaps," she muttered darkly. They remained silent for several minutes until Tyki sighed and heaved himself from his leaning position against the wall.

"Well," he said, "it is late. You should try to rest. The transformation process isn't complete yet, and the last few stages will be very trying for you. You'll need all the strength you can get."

The woman hummed softly in agreement, staring blankly at the cell bars as Tyki Mikk began to make his way down the hallway and was soon consumed by the shadows.


	4. Road Visits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nearing the last day of her transformation into a Noah, the woman gives Tyki a glimpse into her past. Tyki searches for a final way to ensure the woman won't turn on them all once she's released, and Road comes to visit this eccentric woman who curses, drinks, and smokes.

“You mumble in your sleep,” Tyki said, taking a drag. The woman had slept for nearly two days since they had last spoken with one another and he was growing impatient with his tedious attempts to gain the woman’s trust. Why was he the one the Earl ordered to deal with the woman?

The woman awoke and blinked several times, attempting to push away the drowsiness she felt. “I do?” she murmured, rising to a sitting position on the cot.

Tyki chuckled and nodded. “Yes, something about a ‘Cyrus’.”

Her eyes widened. “Cyrus?” she whispered.

Tyki glanced at her and quirked and eyebrow. “Yes,” he answered slowly. “Who is Cyrus?”

The woman sighed. “An old childhood friend of mine. Cyrus Clavell,” she admitted. “He lived in the same village as my family and I when I was young.”

“Where did you live?” Tyki asked, growing slightly more frustrated at the handful of tiresome conversations he and the woman seemed to always have. He honestly didn’t care about her life, her feelings, any of it. But he was on orders from the Earl, so he had to do it.

“On the Mediterranean coast in France.” She wasn’t sure if she should be telling the male Noah all of this, but at this point she did not have the strength to care or consider the potential repercussions. “Until I was about seven. Then I left with Cyrus and went to England, where we scrounged off the streets for nearly three years. After that, I never saw him again.” Her throat began to close with sorrow as memories came flooding back into her mind.

“You fled your home with a boy when you were only seven years old?” Tyki questioned, raising an eyebrow. “My, you began tarting yourself out an a very early age, didn’t you?” He smirked as her head whipped around and her scarlet eyes blazed with anger as they locked with his.

“It wasn’t like that,” she spat.

“I’m sure it wasn’t,” Tyki teased.

The woman returned her gaze to the bars opposite her and began speaking. “We had been in London for nearly three years. Most of the time we stole food to keep from starving,” she said. “That’s how I became a damned talented thief,” she added, looking over, smiling mischievously and winking at the Noah who stood on the other side of the bars. “One morning, Cyrus said he would go try and get us some oranges from a nearby stand in the East End. We hated the East End. It was so dangerous, especially for little children. Nevertheless, he left me and went to get us food. Before I knew it, a pair of thick, grubby hands clasped themselves over my mouth and I was blindfolded and thrown into a wooden carriage with several other young girls and carted away. I never saw Cyrus again.”

“Where were you taken?” he asked, now becoming slightly genuinely interested. He noticed the woman’s eyes become clouded with thoughts as she continued.

“To a black market auction. There, I was sold to the Earl James Masterson. There were several small rumors that he had ties to witchcraft and other sorts of dark magic. Of course, these being rumors from unknown or insignificant sources, no one particularly seemed to buy into them,” she explained.

“Was he, in fact, associated with such things?” Tyki questioned, taking another drag.

“Yes,” she replied. “I was originally sold to him for ceremonial purposes. However, when we were in the carriage ride to his mansion on the outskirts of London, he removed my bondages and blindfold and asked for me to tell him the story of my life up to that point. He told me it was important to him that he identify with me before he preformed the ritual. So, I told him my story. He was deeply moved and by the time we’d arrived at his home, he told me he refused to sacrifice me.”

“You must have told him a damn good story,” Tyki mused.

The woman smirked. “Life is pain, Tyki Mikk. Anyone who says differently is a damned liar.”

Tyki smirked at this. This woman was indeed proving to be unlike anyone he had ever met before. “Please, continue with your story,” he said.

“Alright,” she replied, lying back down on the cot and crossing her arms behind her head. “For the next four years, I was his apprentice. I learned an array of skills and was taught how to balance two different lives. The ‘white’ life being that of a high-society girl who could ride a horse, conduct herself properly, and do everything that was expected of a Lady. The ‘black’ side being the side that could fight, kill, and preform magic. During those four years, the Earl taught me different spells and rituals. One talent I retained especially well was the spell for transportation, which is what you saw me use the night I escaped after murdering Lulu Bell.”

Tyki hummed in understanding. This woman was a user of magic? Indeed, she was proving to be most fascinating.

“It is solely available to a user of traditional dark magic and is extremely difficult to preform. It also depletes much of the caster’s strength,” she explained. “If anyone is unfortunate enough to touch the, ‘transportation cocoon’ we’ll call it, they are stripped of any article of clothing that came into contact with the cocoon, as well as their skin. In short, they're maimed.” She sighed, looking at the ceiling. “Regrettably, because I am so weak, I'm unable to preform this spell to escape here.”

Tyki held his cigarette in front of his face and examined it carefully, listening to the woman’s words with great interest. “I see,” he commented, putting the cigarette back into his mouth and taking a drag. “What other skills do you possess in the art of magic?”

“Hardly any,” she admitted. “I can make a couple of healing potions and can tell you several ceremonies to preform if you want various things such as power, success, et cetera. Though, I never saw any of the ones the Earl preformed bring definitive results. The Earl was also obessed with alchemy. I retained much more from that than I did the hocus pocus shit.”

“You said you were taught to act like a woman of high society, yet you continue with the cursing,” Tyki chastised, smirking.

“Oh, get off my back, Noah,” she laughed. “I preferred the ‘black’ side over the ‘white’, anyways.” Tyki smirked at her use of his terms. During the two weeks she had been at the Noah’s mansion, he had not taken much of an interest in her. Yes, she was eccentric and intriguing, but the Noah had not cared enough to find out anything else about her. Now that he had finally prodded her for information about her past, he found himself slightly more engaged in their discussion.

“When the Earl died during my fourth year with him, his bitch of a daughter took over the mansion with her pudgy, pitifully meek husband and evicted me. After that, I cut my hair and managed to board a cargo ship, posing as a boy. During the next five years, I went from crew to crew, boarding different ships after I either grew tired of the ship and crew I was a part of, or someone found out I was a female. Eventually, I let my hair grow out and proved I could be as tough and efficient a sailor as any other man. But sailing with all male crews became difficult, so I quit sailing only one year after I came out as a female. I returned to France and took up residence in Paris, weaseling my way back into the high-society world. By that time, I was twenty and without a husband. The few people I associated with pushed me toward finding a partner, but I refused. Yes, there were many suitors, but I turned them all down.”

“Why?” Tyki asked, keeping his tone uninterested.

“I’m not fond of the notion of love. I find it utterly nauseating.”

Tyki began to laugh. “Quite the pessimist, aren’t you?” It was no secret among the Noah Clan that Tyki possessed feelings very similar to the ones just voiced by this woman. Sheril, his brother, was a constant nuisance, always pressuring him to settle down and find a wife. Tyki, however, always quickly pushed this notion away.

The woman titled her chin upward slightly and scoffed. “Call me what you will. I have never enjoyed affection. I dislike human contact and abhor the thought of ever finding a husband.”

“But you are nearly past the age to find a husband. What if you are too old the day you realize you regret not finding one?” Tyki said. He fought back as smile, as he realized how much his words sounded like something his brother would say.

The woman scoffed. “I would rather live my life alone. That is one reason I despise the thought of becoming a member of your little ‘family’. I prefer thriving in my independence and not being forced to associate with others. I wish to be the person I want to be and not be forcibly tied to anyone else in this world.”

“Not even this Cyrus you were so close to?” Tyki prodded, throwing his cigarette onto the marble flooring and stepping on it with his shoe.

Her face fell at the thought of her beloved friend. “I loved Cyrus as a child, I truly did,” she said. “But I am not a child anymore. That chapter of my life has ended, never to be opened again. I will keep my thoughts regarding him as memories, not as wishful thinking for reuniting in the future. I’d be wasting my time if I did that.” Her voice was firm and unwavering as she spoke, furrowing her eyebrows slightly in determination not to allow her heart to be hurt once again.

Tyki sighed and removed his top hat, holding it in front of him and turning it between his gloved hands, running his thumbs over its brim. The woman grunted softly as she managed to stand and slowly made her way over to where Tyki was standing against the wall. Tyki watched as she neared and stopped in front of him, staring at him through to warped wrought iron bars.

“You look a lot like him, you know,” she commented quietly. A small smile played across her plump pink lips as she lifted her hands and placed them against the bars. “Only his eyes were like an emerald, shining in all it’s elegant brilliance. Yours are like an enigmatic topaz, clouded with hatred and confusion.” Tyki stared at her, saying nothing as her eyes softened at the thought of her long lost Cyrus. “All you need is to let your hair down and you’ll look even more like him,” she said, smiling.

Tyki’s expression remained stoic as he returned her gaze. He would have much to tell the Earl, tonight. But, perhaps if this woman knew he’d shared such personal information of hers with the Earl, it would ruin all the trust he had successfully built up between the two of them thus far, negating his entire mission. He would wait to tell the Earl, he decided. Instead, he would bide his time getting to know more about this eccentric woman. Hopefully she would be willing to tell him more, and would warm up to him even further in the process. However, he couldn’t help but wonder that if only he was the one to gain the woman’s trust, would that prove to be practically useless when it came to her feelings toward the entire Clan? After all, if she was powerful enough as a human to kill Lulu Bell, she could very well be considered a threat to the Clan as a new Noah. He would bring it up to the Earl, he resolved. Perhaps the Earl would have something else to further the process of gaining the woman’s trust and helping her get on good terms with the Clan.

* * *

“Tyki!” Tyki was on his way down to see the woman. It had been three days since they last spoke, and Tyki knew the woman would be nearly through with her transformation into a Noah.

Hearing his name being called after him, he turned. “Hello Road,” he greeted, flashing his niece a charming smile.

She slowed from a jog and stopped alongside Tyki, following him as he made his way toward the cell the woman was being kept in. “The Earl instructed me to go down with you. Hopefully her meeting and bonding with another Noah will move your mission along even further and make it more successful.”

“Sounds good to me,” Tyki replied.

“Tyki, you aren’t dressed up, today,” Road pointed out suddenly. Tyki looked down at his button-down white shirt that was tucked into his black dress slacks. He ran his hand through his loose, unkempt hair, which reached nearly to his shoulders and lacked his usual top hat.

“I guess you’re right,” he said, flashing another smile at his niece. Road shrugged and continued walking beside Tyki toward the corridor that lead to the cell.

“So what’s her name?” she asked.

“Huh?” Tyki said, glancing down at her.

“Her name. What is it?” she repeated in a slightly impatient tone.

“Oh,” Tyki said, running his hand through his hair again, “I don’t know.”

“Seriously? She’s been here nearly three weeks and you don’t know her name?” Road exclaimed in disbelief.

Tyki chuckled at his niece and shrugged. “No. She’s always avoided the subject. When I do bring it up, she just flat out refuses to tell me.”

Road looked at her uncle, shocked. “You’re unbelievable,” she muttered, tapping one of the levitating candles as they passed.

“Hey, it’s not my fault,” he replied. “She’s touchy.” They could see her cell, now. Tyki noticed there were pools of blood all around the floor inside.

“Jeez,” Road murmured as they stopped at the bars, looking inside to see the woman lying on the cot, covered in blood. “Hey,” she called out, “are you okay?”

Tyki then became aware of the staccato, panicked breaths coming from the woman. “Are you alright?” he asked, echoing Road.

The woman groaned slightly and slowly sat up, rubbing her head as if it ached. “I’m fine,” she replied shakily. Her hands fell to her lap and she looked up, her eyes widening in surprise as they met with those of the smaller, female Noah. “And who are you?” she asked in a slightly uninviting tone. She scooted to the edge of the cot and tossed her legs over the end, grabbing onto one of the bars for support, and stood to face the two Noahs.

“I’m Road Kamelot,” Road answered, giving a small wave and smile to the woman. “Tyki’s niece.”

The woman’s eyes flicked to Tyki and she shot him a questioning look. “I had no idea you had a niece,” she said, swaying slightly.

“Yes. Not by blood, though. She is my brother’s adopted daughter,” Tyki replied, eyeing the bloodied woman as she rocked back and forth on her feet.

The woman nodded in understanding. “I see,” she said.

“Are you alright?” Tyki asked again.

The woman looked up at him. “Yes,” she responded, smiling faintly. “All this,” she gestured to the puddles of blood that lay haphazardly across the floor, “began yesterday. It stopped several hours ago, though. Ever since then I’ve been slowly regaining my strength. I feel odd, though,” she explained, rubbing her left temple with her free hand.

“You’re probably nearing the end of your transformation,” Road offered, examining the woman.

“Ah,” the woman said, throwing her head back slightly. “That would make sense, then.” Tyki and Road both nodded in unison. “So you’re Tyki’s niece, huh?” the woman said. “Road, was it?”

“Yes,” Road answered, still scrutinizing the woman, who took notice of this unwelcome staring.

She narrowed her eyes. “Why are you looking so intently at me?” she asked harshly.

Road’s eyes snapped up to meet the woman’s. “You’re very beautiful,” she commented.

The woman’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Thank you,” she responded slowly, her voice taking on a slightly kinder tone. Road smiled.

Tyki glanced down at his niece, bemused at her seemingly sincere compliment of the woman. His eyes then went to the woman, slowly surveying her. The thought had never really occurred to him before but yes, the woman was rather attractive, even in the bloodied state she was in at the moment. Her figure was thin but impressive, with wide hips and a decent-sized bust. Her wavy hair was a very light blonde, flowing down to her mid-back. Her features were symmetrical and very striking; stunning eyes, soft pink lips, a small button nose, high cheek bones, and a long, thin neck. Her posture was outstanding and she carried herself, even in her weak, sickly state, confidently and regally.

“When will I be released?” the woman asked, tearing Tyki’s mind back to the present.

“Within a couple of days,” Road replied genially. “Then we’ll show you to the rest of the Clan!” Tyki watched carefully for the woman’s reaction. To his shock, yet satisfaction, she gave a soft smile.

“That sounds lovely,” she answered.

Road grew even more cheerful at the woman’s positive response and continued. “I have a feeling you’ll like Jaserdo and Devit!” she giggled.

The woman chuckled, smirking. “Are your mother and father Noahs, as well?” she asked Road after a moment.

Road shook her head. “My father is, but my mother is a human.”

The woman’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “I was under the impression Noahs despised the human race,” she remarked.

Road chuckled. “Generally speaking, yes. However, each Noah possesses their own unique wills and mindsets. Some even repress their Noah.” The woman noticed Road glace quickly over at Tyki before continuing. “My father loves human women. Well, sleeping with them anyways,” she added, giggling. The woman looked at Tyki, who was equally taken aback by Road’s comment. “Tyki here likes his human friends. And I like Allen Walker,” Road added. “And I’m sure you will be able to suppress your Noah enough to remain close to the kind of person you were before all of this,” she quipped.

“I appreciate your faith in me, Road,” the woman said, sitting on the edge of the cot. “Wait, who is Allen Walker?” she asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

“He’s and exorcist of the Black Order,” Tyki explained. “Road’s seemed to have taken a considerable liking to him, even though she knows she shouldn’t.” He gave his niece a reproachful look, which she brushed off with a wave of her tiny hand.

“Whatever. But yes,” she declared, turning back to the woman. “He is an exorcist.” The woman’s expression darkened slightly. “I hear you killed an exorcist before you ran into Lulu Bell,” Road remarked, twirling a lock of her short, spiked hair between her fingers.

“Yes, one of the North American Branch members.”

Tyki quirked and eyebrow. “You were in America?”

The woman chuckled and replied, “Yes, I was for nearly a year and a half. I left after I killed that exorcist and came back to Europe. Several weeks after I returned I ran into Lulu Bell.” The two Noahs nodded slowly.

“I bet you have a lot of interesting stories,” Road exclaimed excitedly. “Tyki’s refused to tell us anything,” she added, pulling her lips into a pout and looking sadly at her uncle. The woman chuckled, but was astonished to learn that all she had told Tyki had been kept a secret. She smiled at the man, who returned it. “Do you need us to bring you anything?” Road piped up. “I know one of the Akuma servants has been bringing you meals, but is there anything in particular you want?” The little Noah looked at the woman intently, awaiting an answer.

The woman thought for a moment. “A glass of brandy and a pack of cigarettes would be lovely,” she said finally. Road and Tyki’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“I told you she was eccentric,” Tyki murmured. The woman heard this and smirked.

Road hummed in agreement and turned to the woman. “Alright, I’ll make sure you’re brought some,” she told her, smiling softly. Her uncle was right; this woman was indeed rather strange.

* * *

Tyki stopped and stood at the bars. Inside, the woman was sitting on the small stool, sipping a glass of brandy and smoking a cigarette rather languidly. He smiled to himself.

“You’re back again?” she said, looking up at him expectantly from her half-empty glass.

“Yes. It’s been decided that after today, you’ll be released,” Tyki announced.

The woman’s eyes lit up. “Really? Oh, thank you,” she said excitedly.

Tyki chuckled and nodded. “You’ve come around this past month and we want to welcome you into our family with open arms,” he commented.

The woman’s eyes fell to the brandy glass again, deep in thought. “I wanted to apologize for all the trouble I’ve caused you, Tyki Mikk,” she murmured.

Tyki quirked an eyebrow. “Regarding Lulu Bell?” he asked, leaning against the wall.

“No,” the woman replied, “for this.” She gestured to Tyki and the cell around her. “You have kept me company these last few weeks and I do appreciate it, I want you to know that.”

Tyki blinked, slightly taken aback at the woman’s sudden burst of kindness. “You’re welcome,” he replied, his eyes grazing the warped bars that lined the cell and the pools of dried blood that lay scattered around the floor. “I apologize this had to happen,” he said, nodding at the cell.

The woman hummed. “You’re lucky I was in it. Otherwise you’re right, I probably would have tried to kill you all.” She flashed an innocent, toothy smile, which slightly unnerved Tyki.

He wasn’t sure if he had done a good enough job in coaxing her to their side. What if she was released and tried to kill them all? He was almost sure she was powerful enough to do it. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach. Perhaps there was something else he could do to gain her trust even further before she was released; like a type of insurance that things wouldn’t go awry once the cell’s door was opened.

She bit her lip. “Tyki, can I,” she stammered, her voice hesitant, “can I make a request?”

Tyki pulled out a cigarette and lit it. “Sure,” he replied casually. “I can’t say I can pull through, necessarily, but you’re welcome to ask.”

The woman swirled the brandy around in her glass. “Once I’m released, will you take me to see my family?”

Tyki exhaled, blowing a small pillar of smoke in front of him. “I can’t guarantee I can do that,” he answered. “You’ll be under close watch and it’s risky allowing you to see loved ones right now in the state you’re in.”

The woman rose from her chair and slowly walked over to where Tyki stood on the other side of the bars. “Please,” she whispered fervently. “I just want to see them and the house I lived in as a child.”

Tyki was unsure of this; the Earl would most certainly disapprove. However, if she did end up loosing it and killing her family, perhaps that would just mean more Akuma that could be created. Tyki weighed his options. The Earl had the potential to be pleased or unhappy, depending on how this went. Of course, he could secretly take her there. It would only take a couple of hours; perhaps no one would even notice they were gone. It would mean him potentially gaining more of the woman’s trust, thus lowering the threat to the Earl and the family. He sighed. “Alright, once you’re released and the dust has settled, we’ll go.”

The woman’s eyes brightened. “Oh, thank you Tyki Mikk,” she said. He took another drag, amused at the woman’s reaction.

His eyes locked with hers. “You’re eyes are strange,” he commented.

The woman’s smile faded and she quirked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” she asked, puzzled.

“They should have changed completely, by now,” Tyki explained. “But it seems that only one has turned the color of a Noah’s. The other one has remained red. Not to mention your hair has remained blonde, too.”

The woman ran her fingers through her hair tentatively. “How strange,” she murmured.

Tyki hummed in agreement. “Maybe they’ll change once the transformation is complete,” he offered, shrugging and taking another drag. The woman sipped her brandy and slowly put her cigarette up to her lips. “So what’s the story behind the smoking and drinking?” Tyki prodded uninterestedly. “It isn’t every day you meet a woman who partakes in such activities.”

The woman chuckled and sighed. “You’re forgetting, I sailed aboard ships with crews of only men. If I didn’t assimilate, I would have been found out. So, when they smoked, I smoked. When they drank, I drank. It was the same story with cursing.” She shrugged. “I had to fit in somehow, otherwise the captain would usually kick me off once someone found out I was female. Taught me how to hold my alcohol, though, I’ll give them that,” she said, smirking.

“You’re an oddity, aren’t you?” Tyki said, inhaling the nicotine vapors once more.

“I suppose I am,” the woman conceded, swirling the brandy around in the glass.

Tyki lifted himself off the wall and groaned. “Well, it’s late. You should get some rest. Tomorrow you’ll be released, after all,” he said. He turned and began to make his way down the hall when the woman called after him.

“Tyki,” she called out.

He glanced over his shoulder. “Yes?”

She smiled. “I like your hair better when it’s down.”

Tyki ran a hand through his loose, unkempt hair and smirked. The woman gave him a small wave and went to sit on the small, ratty cot. He turned and resumed walking down the hall without another word, all the while smirking to himself.


End file.
